1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods for making a burnable fuel from used healthcare materials, to systems for converting the used healthcare materials into a burnable fuel, to burnable fuels derived from the methods and systems and methods and systems for using the burnable fuel.
More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods for making a burnable fuel from used healthcare materials, to systems for converting the used healthcare materials into a burnable fuel source, to burnable fuels derived from the methods and systems and methods and systems for using the burnable fuel, where the methods include the steps of disinfecting and/or partially or completely sterilizing a used healthcare material including metals or metallic materials to form a disinfected material, sizing the disinfected material to form a sized, disinfected material and formulating the sized, disinfected material into a burnable fuel. The method can also include the step of pelletizing the sized, disinfected material into a shaped burnable fuel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Like many used or waste materials, medical waste or used healthcare materials recycling has been and remains a goal, especially in today's climate of environmentalism. However, unlike many conventional waste materials, used healthcare materials have additional hazards and are generally considered and/or labeled as bio-hazards. Such labeling requires used healthcare materials to be handled in a different manner than many other waste materials.
Like many other waste materials, used healthcare materials constitute a complex mixture of materials including pulp or paper derived materials, plastic polymer derived materials, metals and metal derived materials, ceramic materials and ceramic derived materials, etc. Many conventional used healthcare material recycling methodologies require a separation of the material into components, especially metals and metal derived materials, before the material can then be post processed.
Thus, there is a need in the art for methods and systems that can readily convert used healthcare materials directly into a burnable fuel without the need for component separation.